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As part of its presence at IBS 2018, the International Builders’ Show, Fine Homebuilding held a #KeepCraftAlive Scholarship Fundraising Event, on Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 7-9 pm at The Pub Orlando. It was a fun evening of fundraising, networking, and giveaways from brands who recognize the spirit of our mission. A ticket to the event cost $35-$50, […]

Jane DeWitt isn’t your average stonemason. Ask her what she enjoys about her work, and she’ll tell you it’s the tension it creates between her body and her mind. She’ll tell you it’s the contrast of a hard day’s effort and an evening’s rest. That it’s working outside amidst the unfolding of the seasons. That […]

Aaron Butt’s interest in building things started at a young age when his father, Arthur, asked that he work alongside him during the construction of their family’s cabin in the woods of New Hampshire. Long days on site led to lots of learning, and created memories that Aaron would later reflect on as the formative […]

“When a client says, ‘this is beautiful,’ that isn’t just luck.” Although he has every intention of building his own house one day, Paul Johnson prefers remodeling work. “If you said, ‘Hey, build me a house,’ I wouldn’t even know where to begin. But if you tell me you’ve got this kitchen to redo, and […]

Join Fine Homebuilding and our Fine Homebuilding Ambassadors at the upcoming Remodeling Show and DeckExpo, which is being held in Nashville, Tenn., from Oct. 25 to 27. The event has also been dubbed both “R/D/J 2017” and the “Remodeling Rocks” show. In addition to covering the show and meeting you, Fine Homebuilding will be creating […]

On Thursday October 26 from 2:00pm to 3:30pm, industry pros of all levels are invited to grab a craft beer and show their support for #KeepCraftAlive by joining Fine Homebuilding Editors and Ambassadors for an afternoon of networking and sharing best practices for achieving business success. “It is great to see an organization dedicated to […]

When it comes to keeping craft alive, an increased recognition of the severe need for trained tradespeople is a solid step in the right direction. Recently, PBS featured Matt Krupnick’s The Hechinger Report article that reports that after decades of promoting a college track, the U.S. is in desperate need of trained tradespeople. His article focuses […]

While there were both gains and declines, depending on region, the good news, as reported by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America, is construction employment has increased in 264 out of 358 metro areas between June 2016 and June 2017. 37 posted neither gains or declines and 37 out of the 358 had a decline. […]

A recent article by Harold Sirkin on Forbes.com addressed the skills gap that affects industries such as home building. Sirkin reports that even as hiring has slowed, a significant skills gap remains. Simply put, there are more skill-dependent jobs than properly trained applicants. In fact, in June of this year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, via its monthly […]

Jeff Longo started Marbledale Plumbing and Heating in New Milford, Connecticut, over 20 years ago with his partner, Stark Weiner. “Whether it’s a slow drain, a clogged toilet, or a leaky pipe,” he says, “by the time the majority of customers call a plumber, they are very anxious to have the problem resolved.” His challenge—and […]

As part of the Keep Craft Alive (#KeepCraftAlive) initiative and via a partnership between SkillsUSA and Fine Homebuilding, five $5,000 scholarships were awarded at SkillsUSA’s Annual National Leadership and Skills Conference held in Louisville, Ky. At a special reception on Wednesday, June 21, 2017, editorial director Rob Yagid recognized the five winners: Harris Lanier, Isaiah […]

A National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) poll finds that very few young people want to become builders. NAHB conducted a national poll of young adults aged 18 to 25 to find out how this age group feels about a career in the construction trades. The majority of young adults (74%) say they know the […]

Most woodworkers hate to apply finishes, just as most carpenters hate to paint. But Peter Gedrys is wired differently. He doesn’t build anything — all he does is apply finishes. To appreciate what Gedrys does for a living, most of us can’t rely on direct experience, because not many operate at his level. “There are […]

According to Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, there will be around a million-and-a-half housing units built in the United States this year (unit includes apartments, condos, and single-family houses). Most of these units will be built to the standard of the applicable building codes. That sounds like a good thing, but remember that the […]

Steve Baczek is keeping craft alive by moving beyond the conventional boundaries of modern building. A high-level understanding of construction, design, and energy efficiency is what makes Architect Steve Baczek a triple threat of modern residential building. After spending much of his career with the reputable Building Science Corp., Baczek struck out on his own. Despite […]

When comes to developing an appreciation for keeping craft alive and learning real building skills, it’s never too early to start. The six stories below cover everything from inmates to third graders learning to build. Oklahoma City school’s tiny house project grows into community effort 10 high school students developed real world building skills and put […]

There is a widespread consensus that U.S. home construction is now constricted not by demand but by availability of labor. That was the topic of a report on CNBC on March 29, and the conclusions of that report sparked debate across the Internet. Here’s a link and quote from the original report on CNBC by […]

The U.S. jobs report came out this month and shattered expectations. Employment in the private sector rose by 235,000 in the month of February. That was more than the 190,000 jobs expected, according to economists surveyed by ADP. But economists don’t make headlines. Instead, I see stories about people like Mark Cuban, Elon Musk and […]

Current SkillsUSA members and alumni association members studying in construction-related fields are eligible for one of five $5,000 scholarships – totaling $25,000 – for the 2017-18 academic year. The partnership is intended to attract students with a passion for their craft who plan to pursue continued education. Selections will be based on completion of an […]

The industry is dominated by male workers, but a critical labor shortage is an opportunity to usher in change. The construction trades have long been among the industries with the lowest percentage of gender diversity in the workforce. As of 2015, less than 3% of workers in the construction and extraction trades were women — […]